Chapter 3 - Cross Walk
Jennifer hit the keys of her typewriter with furious speed. Tap-tap, tap, tap, but her mind would drift away to him. "Stop it Jennifer", scolding herself. Tap, tap. But it was no use; she couldn't get him off her mind. "Will he call? Of course he will, I have never had to pursue a man, and I am not about to start now!" she declared. Tap-tap, tap. There finished, except for tonight. Hitting Hollywood night life with the likes of Candace Quinn was not something she ever had imagined doing. But as a favor to her editor, she agreed to do the interview for Vogue. In return, her article on Depletion of the Amazon Rainforest would be a cover story in Newsweek and reprint in syndication. She hoped it would be picked up some of the heavy hitters Chicago Tribune, New York Times, or the Wall Street Journal. Vogue wasn't quite her forte, but she was willing to make this small sacrifice. As she packed away her typing supplies, the phone rang. She rushed over, but stopped short. Never on the first ring Jennifer. By the third ring, she couldn't resist and grabbed the receiver, "Hello".
"Oh good Ms. Edwards you are still there, its Candice Quinn calling." Damn, not Jonathan," Jennifer said to herself... "Oh hello Miss Quinn", Jennifer replied flatly, "are you calling to confirm our dinner for tonight?'.
She sat down on the bed, and kicked off her shoes. After a slight pause Candace purred into the receiver "I am sorry but something last minute has come up. You see, I have been invited to a business dinner this evening. Could you possibly swing by Chasen's say 6ish? I am certain you won't find it difficult to finish up my interview over cocktails."
Jennifer paused, the deadline was two days away, and the story had to be submitted by noon tomorrow for it to be wired to New York for editing and approval. What else could she say, "Yes Miss Quinn, around 6 at Chasen's. I will see you there." She didn't say goodbye, but with frustration forced the receiver back into the cradle "BITCH!"
"ARGH, Hollywood!" she vented turning to cross the room to her small hotel closet. Looking through her wardrobe she found the dark blue silk cocktail dress she had packed, just in case. Holding it up and looking in the mirror she though, "Guess it will have to do." She retreated to the bathroom to prepare for a night on the town, Hollywood style.
Jonathan struggled with the tie of his tuxedo. He too, was distracted, not by the evening at hand, but with his "Rain Check". "If I call right away, I would appear desperate, but if I wait to long then she might be…."
"Hey Mr. H, we need to get going. You are already late." Max bellowed from the living room. The living room of Jonathan's condo was simple clean lines and masculine. Not a real bachelor pad, but comfortable. The decorator he hired to make over the entire apartment, tried to add a little California Chic to the "comfortable and homey" ambiance Jonathan had hoped to achieve. The walls and kitchen were painted in hues of Gray, Blue, and White, overstuffed leather sofas and of course the poker table and wet bar filled the large room. From the balcony window Max could see the spectacular lights of Los Angles dance as the heat of the day dissipated. "Max I can't get this thing straight! ", exclaimed Jonathan as he walked across the living room. Max reached out and with a few quick twists had the tie perfectly straight, and the two gentlemen, left for dinner.
As the sleek limousine pulled out of the wrought iron gates, Jay Stratford began "rehearsal" of the evening plans with Candace. "You know what Manning wants. A seduction, a scandal. I know you can pull it off Candace, but I am getting a bad feeling about this Manning character. He is promising a lot; I hope he can deliver after we set up Hart." With a casual wave of her white gloved hand Candace spoke in a low but reassuring tone, "Jay, darling, I know Elliot well enough, he can deliver. You will get 'your' movie studio back, and I will be a 'real actress'. No more of this femme fatale bullshit for me."
With doubt still shadowing his face, Jay turned in his seat for the ride downtown. All the while thinking, "She had better be right. The fellas back east warned, 'don't screw with Elliot Manning, or you may wake up one day dead.' Stratford gazed out of the window as the luxury homes passed by, hoping Candace was right.
It was the early Cocktail hour at Chasen's as Jennifer checked her wrap, and headed to the bar. After glancing around she realized, Miss Quinn was late. Taking a seat at the bar she ordered a glass of California Chardonnay, and pulled her notebook and pen from her bag. She felt someone take the seat to her right, and before she could look up she heard a deep male voice say, "Bartender, rum and coke, and bring the lady another glass of …"
Jennifer was accustomed to men ordering and sending drinks to her, but this guy had some gall. She turn to look at a sun tanned dark haired man, with striking brown eyes his smile was almost appealing. He extended his hand and excused himself for being so forward.
"I am sorry, this isn't something I usually do but I noticed you as soon as you sat down. The name is Elliot. And you are.."
"Jennifer." She spoke returning his handshake. "Thank you for the drink."
'I was hoping I might invite you to dinner as well?' Manning offered.
'Dinner? "Well I am meeting someone for drinks, it's sort of a working cocktail hour for me. Miss Quinn, Mr. Stratford! Oh please excuse me, Mr. er…uh…."
"Manning", he glared.
"Ms. Edwards, so punctual. This traffic is getting worse everyday,. I was just telling Jay…" a shocked look clouded Candace's face as she met Elliot Mannings gaze, "Oh, well what a wonderful surprise! Elliot ! Darling! It's been too long.", Candace gushed.
Jay extended a hand and acknowledged Manning, "Candace baby, I am going to check on the table."
"Yes, Hello Candace. Are you here for Ms. Edwards?" Elliot inquired through a tight lipped smile.
"Yes, we are finishing up an interview. What brings you out tonight?", Candace chirped.
"Had some business downtown today, and stopped for a drink. Then I met Ms. Edwards and was thinking of a nice place to take her…to dinner that is. But now I am defeated, how could I measure up to an evening with you, Gorgeous," winked Elliot. Then turning to Jennifer "Very nice to meet you Ms. Edwards perhaps we will have a chance to get to know each other better. Any friend of Miss Quinn's….well you know."
"Regretfully I'm only in Los Angles for a few days" Jennifer replied "but thank you."
"Well, I still need to finish my drink, so if your plans change I will be around." "Damn" Elliot thought as he retreated to his corner table," what a gorgeous woman, a reporter? She is a wonderful surprise, but a distraction from the task at hand."
Elliot evaporated into a dark corner, sitting at his secluded table. He watched as Candace and his new find "Jennifer" shook hands and moved to a small table, while Stratford left to see to the dinner arrangements. What an interesting turn of events, Elliot thought as he lazed back in his chair and waited for the evening to unfold.
"Thank you Miss Edwards, I really could not get out of this dinner tonight. I keep telling Jay to check with me first before making plans for my studio obligations, but I seem to be blessed and cursed, with so many admirers, to not accommodate them would be to my own undoing, you see. By the way would you mind if we dropped the formalities, please call me Candace."
Jennifer's mind swirled at the elaborate explanation regarding the change of plans, and felt it was almost unnecessary. But gave Candace a simple reply, "Yes, please call me Jennifer."
"So let's get started. As I recall, we were attempting to define the boundary you have with your ever admiring fans. How you cope with fan mail, all be it most of it is kind words, praise for your body of work, but I wanted to know if a darker side to fame exists?" Jennifer ask.
"Oh Jennifer, of course, everyone gets the occasional delusional fan, they send marriage proposals, expense gifts, and the like, but…."
Jennifer interrupted Candace in mid sentence, "No. That's not what I meant. I mean admirers that might have a personal interest in getting to know you better. For lack of a better explanation sort of a mutual agreement, tit for tat? Say a producer, writer, director, or investor that might seek your companionship because of their position in the industry of Hollywood."
Leaning in to speak softly Candace answered with a question, "So, what you really want to know is if I have ever used sex to get ahead? Am I right?"
"Yes", said Jennifer, "this is still a male dominated industry, I can see the difficulties in being taken seriously when one has certain attributes. It happens in the world of business everyday, I am only guessing that holds true in Hollywood too."
Candace could see that the question was not meant to sting, but to bring out the truth. No one had ever asked that question before. Since starting in "the business" Candace had felt like she had little choice but to face the casting couch to get ahead, and she wasn't going to come clean now, only after she had secured her future with the Studio.
"It's interesting you should ask such a question Jennifer. I am sure that situation exists in every culture and profession. I do worry that too much of that sort of thing goes on, but it doesn't happen to everyone. I mean one has to have certain standards to live their life by, wouldn't you agree?" Secretly Candace was mulling over her regrets, she had come to Hollywood with morality, with certain standards. How quickly they slipped away once that starring role was offered to her.
Candace couldn't help but to want to tell her the truth – the whole truth, this Jennifer Edwards was a very endearing person, but not yet, once she had the power to say yes or no, control over the money for her films, would she start working on that inequality.
"Yes, I do.", replied Jennifer. This turn of words back to Jennifer sparked a glimmer of camaraderie with her subject. It opened up the fact to Jennifer that she had not considered, Candace wasn't just a pretty face, but a likeable person with ambition, something Jennifer wasn't expecting. Seeking more about the person behind the face Jennifer turned her questions to a slightly more personal nature, "Tell me Candace more about what inspired you to become an actress? As a person, I am curious. I never sought the route to fame. Why do actors seek it?"
"You know Jennifer, I will answer if you will promise me one thing - my answer is strictly off the record. I feel I can trust you to keep that promise, okay?"
"Okay.", Jennifer knew that off the record really meant off the record, this was an exchange more like girl talk, friend to friend.
"My mother tried her best, but she kept making the same mistake over and over. She was searching for the fairy tale, happily ever after. I was only 15 when she passed away; she was still looking for him, her knight in shining armor. After her passing, I was sent to my Grandmother, she was a very practical no frills sort of person. I started acting by accident; the High School play needed actors. So in an effort to make friends I tried out and got a pretty good part. The play was well received, as I stood on the little stage looking out at the people and decided this is what I want to do. I was able to give something, a piece of me and people liked it. So I went in search of my fairy tale ending – Hollywood. Here I am still treading along."
Jennifer could hear the wistful sincerity in Candace's voice, and reached for her hand, "I'm glad you found your fairy tale." Somehow over the course of their time together the two were becoming friends. "Don't worry, your story is safe with me, until you want to go public. Then I get the interview, agreed?"
With a soft smile Candace said, "Agreed." Jennifer moved forward with the interview with questions like, "So Candace, tell me about your favorite designers, and are you planning to travel to Paris for the Spring Collection Debuts?"
For the next hour or so, Jennifer ran though her questions: she thanked Candace for her time and just as Jennifer was asking where to send the copy of the finished article Candace's eye diverted past Jennifer. A smile glowed on Candace's face as she spoke with chilly delight, "Oh Jonathan, I am so glad to see you!"
Jennifer turned to see him, Jonathan Hart. As Candace swayed her way across the room and into his arms, she pressed a soft kiss on his lips leaving a deposit of dark red lipstick. Jonathan reached for his handkerchief, and made eye contact with Jennifer. What the hell is she doing here, he thought?
As Candace peeled her body from Jonathan's, she turned to introduce Jennifer to Jonathan, but she could tell by the looks of surprise on both their faces they had already met. "Jonathan, darling, this is Jennifer Edwards; she is in town interviewing me for Vogue magazine. We were just finishing up."
The air was full of electricity as Jonathan looked at Jennifer, from his perch in the bar Elliot Manning could see that Jennifer was of interest to Jonathan.
"I am so happy you weren't a naughty boy and kept me waiting." said Candace as she pretended to straighten Jonathan's tie while displaying her best pouty face. "Jay has made arrangements for a quiet out of the way table for us. I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to this evening."
"Ms. Edward's and I met this afternoon.", Jonathan turned to Jennifer, 'Hello again. Isn't this a lucky coincidence? I thought I might not get to see you again so soon."
"Well, Candace I just finished up. I have my deadline to meet, you know." Jennifer coolly replied. An uncomfortable silence hung in the air between them.
Candace knew she had a job to do, but felt a little guilty of coming between these two. She could see a look of disapointment on Jennifer's face, but Elliot Manning was calling the shots for the time being. 'Come on my darling man, the table is over here." Candace intervened by tugging at Jonathan's sleeve, Saying nothing else he turned to follow, but not with out looking over his shoulder to see Jennifer standing at the entry completely speechless with a perplexed look on her face.
From his corner table Elliot Manning observed the entire awkward situation. Obviously Jonathan was attracted to Jennifer. They obviously knew each other and were not expecting to see each other this evening. Immediately Elliot began compiling a plan, for a little fun for the evening. I am going to love this, Elliot thought as he approached Jennifer.
Jennifer had turned back to the bar to gather her things. She had hoped for a different kind of encounter with Jonathan the next time they met. Her mind drifted off to "his blue eyes, dinner by candlelight, a walk on the beach, hand in hand and maybe one thing could lead to another.. a few soft kisses, roaming hands, falling to the sandy beach, and then he would reach to caress …" the circus in her mind was playing out quiet a lovely scene when a voice called her back to reality.
"Jennifer, are you alright?" It was Elliot from earlier in the evening. She fought back the heat her daydream created and turned to Elliot, "Why yes, I'm fine. My work is almost finished; I just have to type up a few paragraphs and..."
"Wait, wait. Before you go to work don't you think some dinner would be nice?" Elliot asked with an innocent smile.
"Just dinner?" Jennifer said while sizing up Elliot, trying to make it clear that dinner was not going to lead to anything else, " That would be nice, but I must get my article completed tonight.." Jennifer replied, just to insure Elliot understood..
"Then follow me, I know just the place for quick bite and you can be on your way', Elliot said as he took Jennifer's hand and led her to the door. Jonathan turned toward the entry just in time to see Manning and Jennifer depart, "What is she doing with him and where did he come from?"
Excusing himself from the table, Jonathan followed Elliot and Jennifer out the door. Max, Jay and Candace watched in confusion as Jonathan rushed for the door. Max had seen Elliot and knew this could be trouble. "I think Mr. H saw an old friend of his, Elliot Manning. Do you know him?" Max quizzed trying to justify Jonathan's less than graceful exit.
"Why yes, I have met him. A very intriguing person.", replied Jay.
"Well that's one way to put it." replied Max as he returned to his salad. "I'll give him 5 minutes then I am going out as backup."
"Jennifer", he called out as soon as he exited the restaurant. Jennifer stopped and turned to face Jonathan puzzled as to why he would follow her out of the restaurant. "I'm sorry, this business dinner came up tonight. I was going to call earlier but.."
Elliot interjected, and clapped Jonathan on the shoulder "I think you have other obligations tonight old chap. I was just taking Jennifer out for a quick bite, so she could finish up her work."
"Thank you, Elliot. But I can speak for myself." Jennifer chimed. "I take it you to know each other?"
Elliot spoke first, "Yes, Jonathan and I go way back. We are competitors of sorts." Elliot explained while standing toe to toe with Jonathan. A sly smirk on his face, stating I won round one, now back off Hart.
"The only competition is the one you have created Elliot." Jonathan confidently replied locking eyes with Elliot, as if to challenge him. Jonathan stood his ground defying Elliot's arrogant demeanor. "I wanted to make sure Jennifer was going to get back to her hotel safely this evening."
"I didn't realize you were so interested in my social life, Jonathan. It's just an innocent little dinner. And he is right; you have a party waiting for you inside. I have a deadline. Call me tomorrow. Alright?" said Jennifer as she patted Jonathan's chest and straighten his tie in an effort to reassure Jonathan she was a big girl and could handle a simple dinner. Even though the attraction between them was undeniable, they had just met; Jonathan was acting as if she belonged with him. Her heart sang out "you do", but for this evening she was destine for a quick meal and a late night at her typewriter.
Jonathan gave Elliot a look that could melt steel. "In the morning, first thing." said Jonathan as reached for Jennifer and looked in her eyes. Jonathan tried to relay to Jennifer that this wasn't a good idea, but she smiled at him and said, "Goodnight Jonathan."
Manning wrapped his arm around Jennifer as they turned to walk up the sidewalk; he turned back and gave Jonathan a sly smile and a wink. Inside Jonathan was seething with anger. Manning you bastard! If you lay one hand on her, I'll…
"Mr. H come back inside. Let's finish this up." Max called to him.
I'll finish it, and call tonight. Jennifer has no idea what or who she is dealing with.